Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance for care home residents

People with disabilities or terminal illnesses who have reached State Pension age and require personal care or supervision to look after them are eligible for Attendance Allowance. Help with personal care and supervision includes getting help with daily living, such as eating and drinking, getting dressed, using the toilet, taking medicines or having treatment, or someone performing checks-up on you to keep you safe from harm. You are eligible to receive Attendance Allowance whilst living in a care home if you pay for your own care (i.e. you are a self-funder).

Attendance Allowance is paid at 2 different rates depending on the level of care that you need:

Lower rate: £68.10 / week - If personal care or supervision is required during the day
Higher rate: £101.75 / week - If personal care or supervision is required during both day and night or if you have a terminal illness

Eligibility

You must meet the following requirements to be eligible for Attendance Allowance:

• Reached State Pension age
• Due to a disability* or illness, you need help to look after yourself
• Your disability* or illness has lasted for at least 6 months unless you get a terminal illness
• Meet the residence and presence conditions^#

The allowance is non-means tested and it is tax-free. Your income, savings or other assets will not be assessed for eligibility.

*Refers to physical disability, mental disability, or both

^#When making a claim, you must live in the UK where you typically reside and have lived for 6 months in the last year

How to apply

Click HERE to apply if you are in English, Wales or Scotland.

Click HERE if you are in Northern Ireland

Even though needing care is required to be eligible for Attendance Allowance, your application does not necessarily be at the time when you are receiving this care.

You can apply before you have had your disability or illness for at least 6 months, but payment will only be made after the 6 months have passed.

If you have a terminal illness, you can apply for the allowance immediately without having to wait for 6 months or having to live in the UK for the last 6 months.

Further information

• When determining whether to contribute to the expenses of your care, your local authority may perform a care needs assessment.

• You will only receive Attendance Allowance for the first 28 days if your local authority is contributing to your care home costs.

• Attendance Allowance will still be given if you reside in a nursing home and only get the registered nursing care contribution from the NHS to help with costs.

• If you reside in a hospice and have a terminal illness, you are still eligible to receive Attendance Allowance.